Takis Barberis | Are You Happy?

1992, Takis' second solo release on Lyra, 'Are You Happy?' is a nicely moody album. The opening track "If...In a Lonely Weekend" creates exactly the right atmosphere with its intriguing bassline, warm synth-string chords and mesmerising rolling melody by Takis Paterelis' tenor sax, seconded finely by Barberis' guitar. It is an absolute gem of combining an indigo jazzmood with a Greek motif without the need to define its origin, and therefor an indicative piece for Barberis' style.
"Hidjazzkiar" was probably the first track of it's kind to bring the diaspora's musings of New York & Chicago in the 1920's-30's back to life in a modern setting, an idea Mode Plagal would pick up shortly afterwards to great acclaim.
"Are You Happy?" is of course a question with a deep end to it, and probably the most overlooked question in the aimless 90's, where markets and money where the main movement in the west. But Barberis places it perfectly into an instrumental frame, without getting too emotional about it or trying to answer the question.
"If You Open The Door" then might be the previous question's antagonist, knowing there's something more behind the human facade. There's a natural phrasing within Yiannis Vasalos' double bass and its saxophone counterpart..
Both "Antidote Blues" and "Strange Coicidence" are praisable for their open approach and ease of commuication without loosing originality or complexity. Perhaps the odd one out on this loungeable/rainy day CD is "...I Remember Now", which goes off on a quick brasilian tangent, as if some crazy Muppets have suddely entered the room, doing a two minute floorshow on a samba theme, and vanish through the windows as swift as they appeared. 'What was that??'...Ah yes, I remember...
Barberis' guitar never claims the controls, but when his band understands the song's intentions, (like is the case with most of Takis' albums), there is no need to. Everybody Happy?

CD Contents 1 If....in a lonely weekend 2 Hidjazzkiar 3 Are You Happy? 4 If You Open The Door 5 Drive Me Home 6 After Poros 7 Antidote Blues 8 ...I Remember Now 9 Strange Coincidence	All compositions by Takis Barberis Takis Barberis electric guitar Takis Paterelis tenor sax, soprano sax on 2 George Contrafouris piano, keyboards Yiannis Vasalos acoustic bass Costas Kalogirou drums George Delis piano on 4 ARE YOU HAPPY ? 1 CD Set Code: CD LYRA 4684 released 1992
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